


The odd one out

by LilithMartell



Category: Everlark - Fandom, Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cheating, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Shameless Smut, Smut, and rue is her sister, and thresh her brother, bad boy Peeta, in which boggs is katniss' father, katniss as a black girl
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:07:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25432840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilithMartell/pseuds/LilithMartell
Summary: Life is hard for a black girl. And even though Katniss is not the fluff and romance type, she still has a heart. And Peeta, the schools fuck boy will do anything to steal it.
Relationships: Annie Cresta/Finnick Odair, Katniss Everdeen/Gale Hawthorne, Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark, everlark - Relationship
Comments: 38
Kudos: 33





	1. Whisper

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!!! I decided to dig up this old thing, brush off the dust and throw it to the world, see what you think of it!!! Let me know!!! Enjoy!!!!

I fixed my glasses, trying to focus on the book I was reading but it was kind of hard with all the smooching noises coming from behind me. I mean they were moaning like two horn-dogs for crying out loud. I was really annoyed but didn’t really want to turn around and say anything for fear of seeing something I wasn’t prepared to see in broad daylight. Something like fingering, for example. And by the sound of it the dude was either really good or he really needed his ego stroked. I was betting on the latter because I kind of knew the boy behind me. The girl too, but he was where my bets were placed. His name was Peeta Mellark, the high school celebrity. Captain of the varsity team, all-star football champion, ladies’ man, incorrigible flirt and serial womanizer. My favorite nickname for him? Beach boy, because of his light brown hair with highlights and sun-tanned skin. Second favorite? Tool. Yeah, we shared a hatred bond. At least I did. It was hardly mutual since he had no idea I existed, he was that self-absorbed. And I wasn’t that hard to miss with my 5’9, almost 6 feet, long curly black hair, dark skin and grey eyes. I was hot as all get out, only I wasn’t the beauty pattern of this society, A.K.A. fair skinned, skinny, blonde with blue eyes. In my neighborhood we were surrounded by white people, mostly. My family was one of the only ones of color this side of the city. 

What can I say, racial inequality and all that shit. Anyways there I was, still trying to focus on that book I was reading when Mr. Cupcake waltz in the room. No, his name wasn’t that, really, it was Mr. Darius Colt but he was such a sweetheart that we had to give him a more deserving nickname. Mr. Colt was the epitome of the all-American boy. Red haired with big sky-blue-doe eyes framed by glasses, a killer smile and the calmest personality you could have ever seen. He had his personal fan club, which I was proud to be part of. He deserved every bit of our admiration. Not only was he one hell of a teacher, he was also an activist. Always talking about news reports and commenting the injustices that we had to deal with in the world. He was so good he volunteered at an animal shelter. I mean, c’mon! Mr. Cupcake was our biology teacher, which unsurprisingly was my favorite subject and where I scored the biggest grades. Great teachers are great inspirers.

I was really looking forward to this class so imagine my disappointment when I found out that I had a horny couple sitting right behind me, making all kind of weird, disgusting noises. They were going to spoil the best part of my day. 

“Morning guys!Ms. Cartwright, Mr. Mellark could you please stop unclogging in my classroom? This is still a place of studying, last I checked.” Thank you Mr. Cupcake, what a lifesaver. 

“Sorry Mr. Colt!” I could hear the smile of smugness on his stupid voice. What a prick. 

“Did you do the exercises I sent to you last class?” He started and once again I lost myself, but finally on his beautiful and melodic voice. By the middle of the class I could hear giggling coming from behind my back. Seriously? I surveyed the classroom for a better spot to sit and the only available one was right in front of Mr. Cupcake. Great, now it was going to look like I had a crush on him, which it wasn’t that far from the truth, but nobody needed to know. So I took a deep breath, filled myself with courage and moved over to the front of the class. Definitely better than hear live sex at this hour of the morning. 

“So how was the Cupcake class?” my best friend Annie asked me when we met up at lunch time. 

“Sensational as usual. A lot better than that piss poor class of AP Mathematics that you traded me for. Why, regretting much?” 

“Oh, bite me. You know I needed that for college, so don’t even start.” 

“What? Just saying, traitor.” I poked her smirking. 

“Hells K, I wish I could see Mr. Cupcake more often… Speaking of seeing more often, where in the world is Finnick?” 

“Don’t know, maybe he is in a ditch somewhere" 

“Be serious, Katniss! Where is Odair? I feel like he is giving me the cold shoulder or something, so weird…” 

“Fine, fine! I don’t know about that fucker though. Maybe he has already gone to practice?” 

“Yeah maybe. I just miss seeing him, you know? I wish he’d just tell me what’s wrong already.” 

“Look, I’ll talk to him okay? See what’s wrong and encourage him to talk to you. No worries.” 

“Yeah, thanks H. I’m off to cheerleader practice. Catch you later.” 

“’Kay, bye kid.” Truth is I knew why Finnick was avoiding her. The thing is ever since Annie grew boobs he had developed a crush on her. One he wasn’t really being able to control, especially when she kept kissing other guys in front of him. But what could it be done? He didn’t say anything to her, what was she supposed to do? Men were so stupid sometimes. Or most of the time. Anyways, I left that ball of teen angst for later and headed for my locker, where I found him. Gale. Alright, let me introduce him first. Gale Hawthorne, 17 years old, soon to be 18. A senior graduating soon and … my boyfriend. “But how did that happen?” you might ask and I shall tell you dear reader. Gale, my white boy with straight black hair shaved on the sides and long on the top, all-around rocker boy and occasional sweetheart was at first a friend. See, I had another best friend back in junior year, her name was Madge Undersee. Her hair was blonde and wavy, falling all the way to her butt. She had dyed it black because she wanted to be a goth and to look like Amy Lee, and the likes. She was white as paper and had blue eyes, the epitome of every head-bangers wet dream. So MU had a crush on Gale, even though they had never spoken before. She asked me for a huge favor: befriend the rocker boy. But why me?Well, I was the shameless one, the friendly one. I was never afraid of talking to a guy. I had grown up basically surrounded by them. I had two brothers and one sister and we all were raised by my father. I was the one who always went out with my brothers to play soccer, basket, hokey, football, you name it. I loved sports and I was good at them so me and my brothers were a package deal. My sister was the frisky one, but she also had a bit of tomboy in her. 

Since I was always surrounded by boys and had a ton of them as friends, I had no shame around them. I was the home girl and that was okay with me so far. So one day, when I, Thresh and Messala were in a local bar enjoying a bit of live rock music and Gale Hawthorne walked in looking a little lost, I saw my opportunity and invited him to sit with us. Turned out his friend had ditched him to hang out with his girlfriend and he was all alone to watch the pearl jam cover concert that was about to happen. Once my brothers noticed that he was just a friend, they all relaxed and talked to him too and soon we discovered that we had many tastes and things in common. As our friendship progressed we would go out, always with my brothers, to mosh pits and local shows. Gale was a pretty great guy. So when we were already on safe ground in our friendship I boasted the question about MU. He said he had never thought of her before but he wasn’t against the idea, so I passed on the news and arranged for them to meet. They soon started to date and at some point I was relegated to the corner. I noticed that they were calling me less and less. Not that I wanted to perpetually be the third wheel, but I was their friends individually and they never even talked to me separately, let alone together. When I approached the issue with MU she freaked and told me to stay away from Gale, accusing me of trying to steal him from her. She had the nerve to call me a boyfriend stealer, when all I was complaining about was that I missed my friends, on the plural, which meant her too. I was too hurt and shocked so I went to talk to Annie and she told me that MU had said to Gale that I didn’t want to hang out with him anymore, that I was jealous of her and I had stopped talking to her too. After that I just left them and went about my business. I mean if they wanted to kick me to the corner, it was their loss. I wasn’t going to run after people that ditched me like that. I had my pride. 

It hurt though. I thought Madge was my best friend and all, so it was really like a betrayal. And that was one thing I could never forgive. At one point they split up, with Madge quickly off to pursuing the newest head banger, boasting that she was the one who had kicked Gale. Whereas Gale kept to himself, not saying anything about the break-up. Madge never spoke to me again, but I met Gale sometime later in a Whitesnake concert in Dallas. Me and my brothers had gone there with a hidden stash of our dad’s weed and we had been smoking it when Gale came stumbling through the mud. He greeted me and we started talking about everything that had happened. He told me that he had broken up with Madge because he realized she was quite fake and liked to lie to him about her tastes and preferences so they could match his, but she hadn’t really liked those things. I told him I backed off when she freaked out and he was angry to hear about the things she had said to me. At some point I was laughing because his name was Gale like the hurricane. I kept imitating the sound of the wind to him and that cracked me up so much, it was the only thing I could talk about, so I started calling him Windy. And since he was trying to come on to me and I was laughing like a crazy person (because I was high) he had to go for the big guns, so he grabbed me and kissed me and I stood shocked, feeling my world change and shake on its axis for the first time. That was how we started dating. Later on he found out how hot headed I was and that was when his nickname for me came out, Hell. He also called me Katni, and both irritated me a lot. 

I approached my locker with a smile, happy to finally see him again. When he noticed it was me I could see the change in his eyes. The stormy iron-like color became less dark, dispersing to almost silverlike. I always joked that he had the weirdest eyes I had ever seen. Sometimes they were iron-like color, dark like a stormy sky, another times they were so bright they looked like silver. I was experiencing one of the latter times. “S’up Windy?” I said, just to see the tick on his jaw that he had every time I called him that. 

“S’up Hell? Boiling any interesting souls lately?” he played right back at me. 

“Na just the usual. Some sexists here and there, a couple of stupid head bangers. But lately I’ve been setting my eyes on some bigger prize. I tormented soulless boy.” 

“Oh yeah?” he walked closer, holding the lapel of my jacket. 

“Yeah, but he is a tough one. So elusive, so flighty. It’s almost like he’s hiding something. You know the type?” I saw Gale flinch. It was just a nanosecond, but I did. At that time I thought it was just my imagination, so I let it go. But the information was stored in my head regardless. The kiss he gave me then was so out of the blue and so uncharacteristically of him that I should have noticed something was wrong. Gale was never big on PDA and I was okay with it because neither was I. 

“Don’t sprout dumb shit like that. People might actually believe you are the devil.” He said smirking. 

“Who says I ain’t?” I retorted breathless. 

“So, what are you doing right now?” 

“I have a free period, was thinking of going to the library and putting some miles on my biology homework. What about you?” 

“I had Mechanics, but Mr. Latier had the stomach flu so, free period. What do you say about visiting the old periodic’s session of the library?” 

“I don’t really have anything to look for in…” 

“I wanna make out” he straight pointed at my dumb self. Well, that changes perspectives, doesn’t it? 

“By all means my dear sir.” I gestured. And out we went to explore the finer parts of our mouths. Back in the library I went to greet Ms. Wiress, the librarian. She knew me quite well since I was a bookworm and always liked to spend some time among the books. While I was being polite, Gale was heading straight for the old journals section, the one where nobody visited because it was so boring. Little did people know that for some historic documents that the library had you had to use a specific instrument, which was located inside a cubicle with a door. Very private space. I didn’t know the name of the instrument, but I knew the cubicle. I often went there to read when the library was too crowded. Even if you were supposed to keep quiet in a library, a full one is always noisy and I liked my silence. So after I put my things on the table and arranged as if I was going to study I headed over to where Gale was, caught his hand and pulled him to the cubicle. When the door closed behind him and I went to turn on the light he halted me. I could only see a little of him through the light that came from underneath the door. But I could feel his intense gaze. 

“How did you know about this place?” 

“I’m a bookworm. I know every secret place of this library.” 

“Sure, sure.” He said before kissing me. Soon enough I was putting my arms over his shoulders and he was putting his around my waist, pulling me closer. His lips were hot and urgent on mine, demanding relentlessly. His hands caressed my back with a force of their own, trapping my senses, making me want to kiss him harder. Suddenly I was backed against the wall of the cubicle and his hand was on my thigh, lifting it and fitting himself closer to my crotch. I could feel how excited he was. “Jesus Hell, you’re so hot…” 

“That was such a profanity…” I replied breathless. 

“Keep saying those difficult words, you’ll only make me harder.” He whispered against my lips, grinding his hard-on against me, making me gasp. 

“Does that really arouse you?” I moaned against his strokes. 

“Fuck you are doing it on purpose, I swear.” He held me faster, kissing my neck and trying to muffle his own groans. My hand had already gone to his hair and I was holding on for dear life, pulling his hair a little bit. He responded to that with a sharp bite and I moaned a little louder. “Shhh Hell, don’t let us get caught in here.” He kept saying against my skin, his tight hold on my thigh making me squirm. “So hot, I need to feel your skin” he said and lifted my shirt a little bit, putting his hand on my belly and creeping up. I knew where he wanted to go and I really wanted him to go there. We hadn’t had sex yet, I hadn’t felt ready before. But we had been practicing dry humping and fondling like nobody’s business. When he reached my bra he pushed it up and did something that surprised me. With one hand on my mouth and the other on my thigh he lowered his head and put my free nipple on his mouth, making me arch my back in reverie. How could something so basic feel so good? I was moaning against his hand while he suckled on my tit, lightly biting my nipple. “Are you wet Hell?” He said, coming up on my ear 

“That is an excellent question…” I huffed, feeling how uncomfortable my panties had become. 

“Let me feel it, please…” he groaned on my ear, making me tremble all over. With a nod of mine, his hand was quickly unbuttoning my jeans and invading my panties, his hot fingers finally finding how wet I actually was. “Jesus Hell, you really are the devil” he said grunting, pushing his fingers through my pussy lips. My knee, the only thing keeping me up straight was trembling, hard, compromising my ability to stand up so his other hand went to my ass while he molded his body to mine, pressing me to the wall. Every tremble I had he felt, and every twitch of his body I felt back. We were so caught up that when the bell rang we jumped in surprise. What the fuck? Right now? High school sometimes was bothersome. “Shit, I can’t believe this.” He murmured, trying to catch his breath. 

“You can’t believe? I can’t believe. I wish I was the devil right now. There is some delusional inspector to be punished at this very moment.” I replied angrily. 

“Don’t say things like that Hell. I’m already too hard. And we need to get out of here.” Damn, I wish I was irresponsible with my studies. 

“You go first, I have to take care of something.” He said stepping back. 

“Are you going to masturbate here?” I hissed at him. Then he was back in me, kissing me hard. 

“As much as I’d love to do that, it is going to be hard to wipe out the mess. Na, I’m just going to try to hide it under my belt until I get to the bathroom. I’ll jack off than.” He said against my lips. 

“An, okay” I said breathless once again. Quickly buttoning my pants and patting down my hair and fixing my bra and shirt, I went for the door but he stopped me. 

“I’ll be thinking of your wet pussy the whole time.” He whispered and I gasped. Damn hormones.


	2. Everybody's fool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!! Thanks for the support, hope you enjoy this next chapter!!!  
> Also when I wrote it first I gave all my chapters' names from songs by the band Evanescense. They kind of dialogue, so if you want to check them out, I recommend!!!

After my make out session with Gale ( and a quick trip to the bathroom) I went back to class. It was literature with Mr. Abernathy, an old grumpy man. He loved me though because I knew all his favorite books.   
“Howdy folks! Today is our book assignment!” collective sigh “Yes, I know you’re all excited but there’s good news! Since I’m such a nice fella’ I’m pairing you up to do this task!” This time it was a collective cheer. Everybody was happy except me. See, this literature class was filled with the popular kids. The cheerleaders, the basketball jocks, the football jocks. All the future contenders for prom king and queen were there. All of them and me.The odd one out. I didn’t even know the athletes because my athlete friends were too dumb to read. That was a joke, they just preferred better Mathematics, Woodshop and apparently Painting (Chaff) than to endure Literature with me. I was the book worm, not them.  
So pair work at this class was like trying to bite my arm clean off. I’d rather do it alone and I was ready to say that to Mr. Abernathy when he completed his thoughts.   
“The deal, my dear students, is for me to choose your partners, so don’t go scooting over to your best friend or your class crush, or anything of the sort. I’ll have the decision. And no singles this time.” He said looking directly at me. Was he a mind reader or something? Creep. “I want you to work on developing your social skills.”  
And that is the story of how I got stuck doing a literature paper with Peeta Mellark. I was seriously pissed off. I was glad he noticed.  
“So” he started a bit awkwardly “What did you think of the book?”  
“Have you read ‘Emma’?” I retorted, trying to calm my anger.  
“Well, yes. It was the assignment, wasn’t it?” he said, a bit shocked. “Why, didn’t you?”  
“Didn’t I what?”  
“Read the book?”  
“'Course I did.” I huffed. “How did you find it?”  
“I bought it.”  
“No” deep breath “What did you think of the story?”  
“Well, for starters she is very demanding. She critiques everything, she’s egotistical. She judges people based on appearances…”  
“Wow, hold your horses there cowboy. First off, she runs her own life and her state, she is not demanding. She is her own woman in a time where there basically was no such thing. She is surrounded by males who put her opinions down as caprice, when she actually analyzes everything about the society that she lives on. And she is a product of the environment she was raised on. And please, judge by appearances? Don’t we all? Don’t you?”  
“Well, I try not to.”  
“Right”  
“You really liked the character, didn’t you?” he said grinning. He had dimples. I was disarmed by that smile. I mean, what was he smiling about? I had just rammed him with my opinions. I cleared my throat and opened my notebook.   
“I like strong female characters. It is something called representation. Like a mirror, I see myself in them and that makes it easier to read and understand the book.”  
“So if you think she is a bit like you, you can relate to her decisions?”  
“Yes” I said, looking at him. I was shocked that he understood what I was talking about. I cleared my throat and opened my notebook. “Look, let’s do this, finish it up so we can leave early.” I started writing down my thoughts when I felt his hand on my forearm. I looked up with a scowl.  
“Did I do anything wrong?” he asked uncertain.  
“No, why?”  
“You’re scowling.”  
“You’re touching me.”  
“So?” he said, still touching my forearm.  
“Have you ever heard of personal space?”  
“Most girls don’t mind me invading their personal space.” He said leaning forward. I realized then that I wasn’t immune from his charms. But I was me, and I had a boyfriend whom I loved. I wouldn’t let a douchebag like him mess with my vibe. So I faced him.  
“Are you sure about that? Most girls are taught to be nice. I, fortunately, wasn’t. So you better get your hand off of me before you lose a limb.” I was staring him hard. His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly and he caressed his thumb on my skin once, before retreating, a smug face after he felt me flinch. After that he decided that the best way to do the work was by invading my personal space. So while I was writing our ideas on paper, he made sure to be sitting very close to me, body towards mine as if enclosing me, but he never touched me again, still in a too intimate position for my liking. I was so unfocused that I had to rewrite three times the word assurance. But finally, finally, the assignment was done. I stood up really fast, trying to escape from him and as if he knew what I was doing, I heard him chuckle at my expense.   
“Alrighty, very good!” said Mr. Abernathy with a smile. “Now for you two, Katniss and Peeta, there is a second part to this assignment that you still must do together, okay? I want you to…” I tuned out after it. I was in a whole new level of angry. Why? Why? I seriously needed to do this? I was such a great student, by myself! Nobody needed that much social interaction! Especially not with Beach Boy.“Excellent! It’s due to next Friday, so start working on it right away!!”  
I nodded to Mr. Abernathy and went out the door in a daze. For my great displeasure, Peeta was right behind me.   
“Look, Kat, wait!” I stopped dead in my tracks. Then turned around.  
“What did you call me?”  
“I called you Kat. That’s your name, right?”  
“Katniss. My name is KatNISS. And to you is Ms. Everdeen.”  
“Katniss, right, okay. Kat is the nickname!”  
“No, no nickname. We are not friends for you to give me nicknames. You don’t know me so what makes you think that you can call me by any nickname at all?” At this point I was beyond furious.  
“Look, Kat it’s..”  
“No”  
“Kat, listen…”  
“Not listening!”  
“Kat!”  
“I can’t hear you!” I singsonged.  
“Good God woman, you are stubborn! It is just a nickname! The more you get worked up about it, the more I’m gonna call you that, so get over yourself.”  
Fine, two can play at this game.  
“Okay Beach Boy, what is it?”  
“Beach Boy? Really? I don’t even go to the beach this often, my hair is naturally like…”  
“Save it.”  
“Fine. Look are you free this Saturday? You can come to my house and we can do this project.”  
“That’s cute.” I said laughing sarcastically “Also not happening! You can come to my place so we can do the project. I’m not entering your lair.”  
“ Wow, really? What are you afraid of?”  
“STDs?”  
“Na, I don’t think that is it. I think you are afraid of what you might do in a closed space, away from school, just the two of us…” he said stepping closer to me. I kept stepping back until I slammed my back on the wall and the alarm rang. I truly loved the inspector and his very fortunate alarm. “I’ll catch up with you later, sugar!” he said winking at me and I frowned. Turning around I sped walk out of there. Finally, no more Beach Boy for the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I did talk about representation and strong female roles and I did defend Emma. Truth is I love Jane Austen and I love her lead characters. I know she has her personal issues, but we always have to see the author through the perspective of the times that they wrote in. Austen, for all senses and purposes was an avant guard woman. Anyways, if you haven't read Emma, I recommend! Is less popular than Pride and Prejudice, but is a good work of fiction!  
> Did you like Mr. Abernathy??? I just love Haymitch :D


	3. What you want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Rue is older, and a banshee. Sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing some new characters!!! Please bear with me, some of their personalities might be slightly different from the original ones. I tried to rebuild their psych in a different background and environment, hope I did a good job!!!  
> Enjoy!!!

“Dad, have you seen my bra?” Rue screamed to the corridor. I swear that she could be as loud as a goddam siren.  
“I don’t know monkey. Maybe it is in the backyard, where I said I would put the things you left on the bathroom floor.”  
“Daaaaad!!!!” she screeched and ran to the backyard to hunt for the missing item. She would probably find some dogs, since the noise she made probably had reached their ears too. I just wanted some peace and quiet to unwind. I had been feeling like a ball of nerves from the past few days. I knew that there was something going on with Gale, even though we were apparently normal. Something on the back of my head was nagging about his behavior, like an instinct. But nothing really had changed, so I tried hard to ignore it. To top it off today was the day Peeta was supposed to come to my house, my sanctuary, my place of comfort, which I was sure he was going to taint in some way or another. I needed for my quiet to be respected.  
Sometimes though, the wailing of my sister interrupted that quiet of mine.  
“Kaaaaaaaat geeeet the dooooor!!! Your boyfriend is heeeeeere!” Rue screamed at the top of her lungs. I was sure she had no idea how to speak in a quieter voice.  
“Gale? What…” I murmured going for the door only to be interrupted by my father’s voice.  
“I’ll get it for you Pumpkin, don’t you worry!” Hell no. I ran like hell to arrive before him. I really didn’t want him to scare Gale. Again.  
So when I was out of breath and in front of the door, having successfully shoved dad off the hall, I opened it just to find that it wasn’t a white boy with gray eyes and ink black hair who was knocking. No, it was Beach Boy.  
“Happy to see me sugar?” How annoying could a person be? My complimentary smile (for my boyfriend, mind you) faded and was replaced by a scowl.  
“What in heaven’s name are you doing here? Who arrives an hour early in someone else’s house?”  
“I was hoping to catch you off-guard! Looks like I’ve succeeded.” He grinned showing me his dimples and I rolled my eyes, letting him in.  
“That is not Gale!” said dad appearing out of thin air. I didn’t know how a 200 pound of man could be so furtive when he wanted too. It shouldn’t be like that at all. “ Who is the Tool?”  
I loved my dad so much. With that Peeta was paralyzed on the entry hall of my house. Being called a tool by a 6’5 feet black man with bald head and a meaner scowl than mine could be pretty intimidating, I guess.  
“Dad this is Peeta Mellark, a… colleague. Be nice, he’s come to do the literature assignment I told you about.”  
“So he’s not a new boyfriend?” he said looking at me skeptically.  
“Nope. Not in the slightest.”  
“Good! Nice to meet you son, I’m John Boggs!” dad said, in a complete 180° turn, smiling with his megawatt smile of superdad. My dad was such a softy.  
After the greeting we were sent to my room, with the door open of course, and a fair warning of no loud music until the work was done. Within my bedroom walls Peeta gained a little more composure.  
“Wow, your dad is like huge!”  
“Yeah, I know. He is an ex-basketball player. He used to play on the 76’rs.”  
“Wait, your dad is THE John Boggs? John Bigfoot Boggs?”  
Lookie we’ve got ourselves a Bigfoot fan. Wowsers.  
“Yep, that one, my papa.”  
“Amazing! That’s why you’re so tall for a girl!”  
Come again?  
“Really? You have to start like that?”  
“What? What did I say? You are tall! Almost my size!”  
I was actually a few inches taller than him. It was a very small difference but if I pointed that out I would probably never hear the end of it. I’d probably spend the whole afternoon around measuring tapes and matching our shoulders. What a drag.  
“Yeah, sure, let’s move along smarty pants, I don’t have all day.”  
“Did you just call me smarty pants?” he said smirking.  
“Yeah, why?”  
“That was such a grandma thing to say” he said and laughed out loud. His laugh was a good, honest one. One of those that made you want to join in and laugh too. I wasn’t immune to it either, so I cracked a little smile, a warm sensation blooming inside my chest.  
“Right, are we doing this or what, Kat?” and then the warm sensation was properly snuffed.  
Three and a half hours later we had a ten page essay on the construction of the leading character’s personality and how was it affected by her day and age. Peeta was to take it home to reread it and make the final adjustments. I was tired, my head was throbbing and Rue was yelling again. I was counting the days for her departure to The U Of A, far away enough from me, where I could not hear her wailing anymore. To top it off Mess had decided he was going to join in the collective noise by way of turning on his stupid sexist hip hop music, high. I could’ve sworn he did shit like that on purpose just because he knew how much I hated the shit that these assholes said on their songs about women.  
I was so lost in my own head that I was surprised to hear Peeta’s voice.  
“Your house is loud.” He said, a weird glint on his eyes.  
“Don’t I know it. Too many children if you ask me. Hopefully in August things will be a lot quieter around here.”  
“Why?”  
“Rue and Mess are off to college, finally! Mine will be the only noise on this house.” I ended wistfully.  
“Won’t you miss it, though? The agitation? Your siblings?”  
“I don’t know, really.” And I didn’t. I always thought about the noise as something annoying. I guess I preferred not to think about the fact that my twin siblings wouldn’t be around anymore. It wasn’t really a good thing, as irritating as though they could be.  
“Do you have siblings?” I didn’t know why I was asking him these things. I didn’t want to befriend him but I had sensed a longing on his voice that had reached out to me.  
“Sort of. I’m an only child on my mother's side. My dad was a lot older than mom when they married, but it was his second marriage so he had two other kids from his first. But they never bother to talk to me, really. Dad died when I was six. My mom married right away though, but me and my stepfather, we were never that close. They are always working or traveling. I’m mostly home alone.” The bitterness in his voice couldn’t be mistaken.  
“Well, at least you don’t have to share anything. Do you know how hard it is to share a bathroom with two other people? They are messy, it’s irritating.” I said, trying to distract him from his own sadness. “Besides, Messala is disgusting! You men are pigs!”  
“Hey hey, hold on now! I ain’t no pig!”  
“Look at you, all gangsta! ‘I ain’t no pig!’” I laughed and he seemed to ease up a bit.  
“So what do you do around here to have fun?” he said, clearly in no hurry to leave and after what I had heard, I couldn’t blame him.  
“We play videogames, soccer, basketball, football. You name it. Even board games but I don’t think you would like it because my dad is a big cheater and always wins because we can never catch him in the act. It’s a nightmare.”  
“Your dad plays with you?  
“'Course. He doesn’t do anything on the weekends. It’s family time. So, what do you want?”  
Beach Boy chose the videogames, like how much more of a cliche could he be? We were playing the new Uncharted, alternating to conclude the missions when Rue started wailing about wanting pizza. Before I could think of Peeta I ran through the door to get to the telephone first just to be beaten by Mess. Stupid long-legged little shit. He was already ordering the pepperoni and pineapple combination he liked so much, which I thought was disgusting. But before he could wrap it up dad took the phone from his hand saying that since we had a guest he should decide what we were going to eat. And to my utter astonishment Peeta ordered my favorite toppings.  
“I like extra cheese, onions, sausage and cheddar!” he said all excited and dad looked at me with his brows raised. Rue screeched a laugh and Mess yelled that it was not fair, I was cheating even though I hadn’t said a word. Peeta was confused, but I played dumb and congratulated myself inwardly for the luck I had had. Another glorious battle won Kat, the force is strong within you. All was good and well until the pizzas arrived and we were all sitting at the table getting our slices and Mess decided NOT to drop the subject.  
“Look Kat, your new boyfriend is so dreamy! He even knows your favorite toppings!” he mocked, batting his eyelashes at me. Dad and Rue laughed out loud while I choked on my slice. Peeta looked like he had been struck by lightning.  
“Oh, now I get why you all had those weird faces back then!” now even Peeta was smiling.  
“And just as slow! Y’all deserve each other!” Rue screeched and my dad started coughing to hide his chuckles.  
“Peeta is not my boyfriend!” I yelled, knowing good and well that this was just adding more fuel to the fire.  
“Don’t be shy, Pumpkin! We all know you have a crush on white boys!”  
“Dad!” I hated when they banded together to bully me. “Enough! We are not dating! He is my classmate, we barely know each other!” I huffed willing my anger to subside. “Besides, I already have a boyfriend and you know who he is!”  
“Who is he?” Peeta decided that then was the best time to speak. I needed to buy a duct tape for his mouth.  
“Gale. Gale Hawthorne.”  
“Gale, really? Like the wind force? Is he windy?" at this point my family was just snorting uncontrollably.  
“Like his name, dick face! Why, problem?”  
“What, me? No, not at all! But him…” and they all burst laughing. My anger was boiling so hot I was seeing red so I got up and stomped my feet all the way to my bedroom, making sure to slam my door. Let him handle my family by himself.  
A few minutes later there was a knock on my door.  
“Kat?”  
“Go away!”  
“Kat c’mon, it was a joke!”  
“Stop calling me that!”  
“Your family calls you that and you don’t mind!”  
“But they know me, you don’t!”  
“Let me, then.” He said quieter.  
“Let you what?”  
“Let me in.”  
I knew what he meant by that. It wasn’t just inside my room.  
“Open the door, please.” When I did he was looking at me a little sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.  
“Explain yourself.” I said serious. He sat down on my computer chair and I sat on my bed.  
“What do you want me to tell you?” I thought for a while and answered.  
“Why do you want me to let you in?”  
“I don’t know, I just like you I guess. You’re funny and fun to hang out with, even though you don’t like me much, God only knows why. So be my friend!”  
“So? You didn’t even know my name a week ago!”  
“But it’s not like I haven’t seen you before! I mean, you are pretty hard to miss with your 6 feet and all!”  
“Was that supposed to make me feel better?”  
“No, look! You were always scowling at me! What do you have against me?”  
“You’re loud, obnoxious, annoying as fuck, a womanizer, rude, impolite, don’t ever seem to know your place and you walk like you own the fucking school.”  
“Okay” he said after a while “I understand. But, can you really blame me? I mean all the girls from school have a crush on me, I’m the school’s best football player and we win every championship.”  
“I hardly believe that every single girl from our school has a crush on you, get over yourself idiot!”  
“Alright, I’m self-absorbed. Add that to your list. But I’m cool, aren’t I? I mean, I’m friendly with you!”  
“You are a flirt with me Peeta. That is way different from being friendly!”  
“But that is the only way I know how to be!”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah! Look, I promise I’ll tone it down okay? Give me a chance!”  
I huffed and I puffed. He was being honest. At least that was what I thought.  
“Fine, okay! Happy? So, what you want me to do?”  
“Take your clothes off.”  
“Really?”  
“Just kidding!”After I punched him on the arm. “Ouch, it was a joke! God! You have a mean swing!”  
“Best of you to learn that mate.”


	4. Going Under

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad fights   
> Or Katniss and her goddam temper.

“Hey Gale” I said to my boyfriend on lunch break the following Wednesday.  
“Yes dear!”   
“You wanna come to my house after school? My dad is in New Orleans and the twins are off to practice. What do you say?”  
“No, can do. I have a thirty page essay on the Cold War to deliver tomorrow. I’m tied up.”   
I sighed. Shouldn’t he like jump on the chance of being all alone with his girlfriend? Damn, I really wanted to spend some quality time with him. Apparently he had better plans.  
“Fine, go hang out with your pen then. I don’t care.”  
A thought crossed my mind and I dismissed it right away. I trusted Gale. We were honest with each other.   
I thought of inviting Peeta over, but it could be misunderstood specially if we were alone, so I left it at that. But it seemed like I had demon conjuring powers.  
“Hey Kat!” Peeta was running down the corridor with his football gear on.  
“What, you geared up to beat me up?” I joked.  
“Don’t need that, just my fists!”  
“Ha, you wish you little bitch!”  
“Shut up!” he pushed me with his disproportional shoulders. “You free after class? Hey, s’up dude?” he said finally acknowledging Gale. At that moment I noticed how he, Gale, was looking at Peeta. I had never seen that expression on him before. He looked weird with his brows deeply furrowed, his mouth in a thin line, a pensive expression as if he was trying to solve a difficult math problem in his head. I disregarded it, thinking I was just being insecure and imagining things.   
“Free as a bird my fellow jock. Why?”  
“I wanted to get to the bottom of that ‘The Last of us’ that we played last time. The one that you were screaming like a girl every damn time, remember?”  
Scowling at him I answered. “I don’t recall that memory of yours. You must be mixing up your reactions with mine, good sir.”  
“Na, that was you for sure.”  
“Nope, it wasn’t. Regardless yes we can play. Your house?” I wouldn’t invite Peeta to my empty house in front of my boyfriend, that would be a little over the top, even for someone who didn’t seem to be the jealous type, like Gale was.   
“Awesome! Catch you later! Bye dude!” he said to both of us and skipped to practice. When I turned back to say my goodbyes to Gale too he had already turned and was walking down the hall.   
“Hey G, hold on! Where you off to?  
“None of your business!” he grunted his reply. I was shocked.  
“Hey, what was that supposed to mean?” I yelled at his back. Then he turned around with anger in his eyes and answered.  
“Exactly what I said. Now leave me alone.” And with that he turned around and left me alone in the corridor. I felt like he had hit me, I was flabbergasted. Gale had never spoken to me like that before. He was nice and calm, never raising his voice with me, not once. I was the one with the hot head. But right now that Gale had such anger that I felt hurt. He shouldn’t have talked like that, especially with me.I was very much not okay with it.  
It wasn’t like he didn’t know about my friendship with Peeta. I told him everything that happened between us, including his stupid flirting. I even told him that Peeta had stopped acting flirty and that was why we were building a friendship. He was okay with it. He had laughed at Peeta’s flirty antics. He had no right to be hostile with me, I had never hidden anything from him. Sad and a bit pissed off I went to my biology class with Mr. Cupcake trying to figure out what had I done to deserve such reproachful answer from Gale. For the first time I didn’t enjoy my biology class.  
“Okay guys that is it for today. Do remember that you have a quiz to deliver to me on Friday, with no do-overs!!! Ms. Everdeen can I see you for a second?” that was my queu to boot but I could never be able to run away from Mr. Cupcake. He was too sweet for me to do something like that. So I packed my bag and waited until the last giggly girl went out of the room.   
“Come here Katniss.” He beckoned me. “You were a bit off today. Is there a problem?” Those big blues were staring at me with that sort of curiosity that you could only see in the eyes of puppy dogs. You know, the ones that you could never say no to. The way he was looking at me I would tell him my deepest and darkest secrets just to make him happy. Jesus what a powerful weapon that man wielded.The truth is I could not say to Mr. Colt that I was upset because my boyfriend had been mean to me and I didn’t know why. It was a pathetic excuse and I didn’t want to sound pathetic. I wanted that man to admire me, I wanted him to write my recommendation letter to Johns Hopkins so I would be accepted there. I wanted to go to Med School and I wanted to be taken seriously. Serious people weren’t affected by boy’s problems.   
“Look sir I had some personal issues. I’m sorry. I wasn’t at my best today in your class. I will work harder next time.” He paused before answering me, scrutinizing me. Then he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He looked tired. For the first time I saw Mr. Cupcake without his teacher’s mask. But just as quickly as it came in, it when out and when he put his glasses back on he stared at me again.   
“You don’t have to apologize, kid. We all have our moments. I just wanted to know if there was anything I could do to help out.”  
“No sir, it’s alright.”  
“Okay then, you take care and I’ll see you on Friday.” With that he went back to correcting exercises. Before walking out I took one last look at Mr. Colt. He was a young man but his eyes told a story of a man who had seen his fair share of bad things. Suddenly I just didn’t feel like growing old at all.  
On my way to the parking lot a realization hit me. I had come with Gale to school. He had offered to drive me because he was feeling very chivalrous. I had told him to shove it but accepted the ride anyways, for his benefit. And now seeing that his old Subaru was nowhere to be seen I suddenly wished I had not cared for his feelings. I had the urge to kick him in the balls. Distracted by my vindictive thoughts I failed to notice Peeta’s pick-up truck rolling to a stop in front of me.   
“Holy shit, is my lucky day! Lookie what I’ve found! A damsel in distress!”  
“Eat shit Beach Boy!”  
“Well not much of a damsel but definitely in distress! Can I give you a ride anywhere? To my bed perhaps?”  
“I’d rather choke on my own foot.”  
“C’mon Kat you know I’m joking! Just hop in already! You own me a game marathon!”  
I sighed and climbed inside his car. I liked it, despite the fact that it screamed red-neck all around.   
“So where to m’lady?”  
“My house.”  
As soon as Peeta realized we were alone I regretted my invitation.   
“So, your dad’s out. Your brother and sister are still at school. We’re here, alone.”  
“Yeah, so?”  
“I don’t know, I feel like a high school virgin who’s been led to the slaughter house. It looks suspicious, don’t you think?” he was leaning against my kitchen counter, a smirk on his face. I seriously believed he was working really hard towards getting thrown out of my house, by yours truly.   
“What in the flying rickety fuck looks suspicious to you, Mellark?” I said slamming the door of my fridge shut. I was hungry and there was nothing to eat. Peeta laughed at my face and stood up, coming closer to me.   
“So now we're back on the last name basis?” He whispered looking in my eyes intensely. I frown at him, he was too close. I could feel his breath fanning across my lips. The smell of his aftershave was of lemons and something fresh, like the first wind at dawn.  
“Don’t be a creep, get back idiot!” I exclaimed turning around and going to gather the stuff I needed to cook. “I’m going to cook something to eat. You hungry?” I asked without turning around.   
“Sure” he said with a voice huskier than usual. “Do you mind if I use the bathroom?”  
“Nope, go ahead.” And that was it. After he came back he offered to help me get things ready but I declined it. I didn’t want him around and I hated to have people messing with my cooking flow.  
I was putting the finishing touches on my beef fajitas when I turned around and realized he was still in the kitchen, watching my every move.   
“What are you doing?”  
“Watching you cook!”  
“Geez why?”  
“Well you said you didn’t want my help and I didn’t know what to do. And then I started watching you and you were so focused that I lost myself. I mean, you’re mesmerizing. Did you know that you sing when you cook? And very well might I add.”  
And with that I blushed. I doubt he would’ve noticed because of my darker completion, so I just kept quiet and went back to the cooking. “Could you please set the table?” I said with the pretense of giving him what to do.   
“Sure, where are the plates?” And I made the second mistake of the day.  
“The cabinet above my head. I’ll fetch it, no trouble.” I reached up but he was faster than me and suddenly I was sandwiched between his front and the kitchen counter. I could feel the movement of his arms above my head reverberate through his body and mine. He was teasing me. Taunting me. Of course all of this was a joke to him. He only wanted to get a rise out of me. And I wouldn’t deny that he was handsome and hot, that his body was every straight girl's dream. The thing is, aside from that Peeta was just another pretty boy. There was nothing especial to him. Not for me at least. I liked someone else. I loved another boy. So as much as I liked the attention, the flirting, at the end it meant nothing. Just a boost in my ego and a healthy banter. He was handsome but he wasn’t Gale.   
“There” he said stepping back. I missed his warmth, lonely as I was. However, shaking myself off not to give him any more fuel I grabbed the forks and knifes and stacked them over the food pots, carrying it all to the dining room table.   
“Want something to drink?” I asked.  
“I beer would be nice.”  
“Sure” I know he was joking but we actually had beer. Dad told us that we could drink alcohol at home as long as we didn’t do it outside, at parties and all. It was a useful policy, since neither I nor the twins ever drank outside our house. We always left home already hammered.   
“Do you actually have beer?”  
“Corona or micro-brewing?”  
“Wow, okay! I’m impressed! Are you trying to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me?”  
“If you don’t choose I’ll give you tap water. With my spit.”  
“Fine, micro-brewing.”  
When I finally sat to eat I was starving. And I must admit that I had done a great job. Roasted unpeeled potatoes with beef fajitas buttered onions and asparagus. Damn I was good. And Peeta looked star-struck. I was finishing serving my plate and he was still staring at the food.   
“Well don’t just look at it, idiot. Serve yourself!”  
“I don’t know where to begin!”  
“Just choose whatever. The meat.” And so he did. By the end of his serving there was more food on his plate than there was on the serving bowls. And by the end of our meal I thought he had at least two orgasms, what with the way he was moaning like a damn cat in heat. I mean some composure would be nice.   
“Dude you have like mean skills in the kitchen!” he said resting back on the chair. I could see his distended belly from where I was sitting.   
“Dude you ate the whole thing. You’re gonna eat me out of my home.”  
“It’s your own fault, for cooking this meal. I mean seriously if you cooked for me everyday you would get me fat and kicked out of the football in a matter of days. And I’d do it gladly!”  
“Yeah right, no need to butter me up. I know how good I am cooking. Now it’s your turn buddy. Who cooks doesn’t clean in this house.”  
“Sure thing!” he acquiesced grinning like a puppy.  
“What?”  
“What what?”  
“Why are you grinning like a fool?”  
“I like doing the dishes!”  
“You’ll make a wife very happy one day.”  
“Are you volunteering for the spot?”  
“Na, I like my man smarter.” He snickered at me.  
"Hey, can I ask you something?"  
"You already did." I huffed at him. "Just do it."  
"Why is your last name not Boggs, but Everdeen?" I always dreaded that question.  
"Because my father didn't want us to be associated with his famous last name and because he wanted us to remember our mother. She died a few years back in a hit and run. Her last name was Everdeen. She made sure to keep her last name on us when we were born, and when dad got very famous he suppressed his last name because he didn't want us to have to deal with any creeps." I finished and looked at him. He just nodded.  
"Okay, thanks for telling me."   
“Yeah, whatever. I’ll go take a shower. You good right?”  
“Sure, why? Want me to join ya?”  
“Fuck you!” I flipped him while walking upstairs.  
“That’s the plan!” he yelled back at me.   
In the bathroom, without Peeta’s noise and our easy playful banter I came back to reality, to face the status of my relationship with Gale. I was sad and hurt. I was bone tired. All of that turmoil and uncertainty drained me. I was never used to this much drama in my life. I was straight forward with my feelings and I didn’t beat around the bush. When I was upset I spoke up. When I was annoyed I fought until I was better. All of my emotions were released and dealt with very fast. This much revolving around my head and my heart was my limit. I needed a hot shower to relax my muscles and sooth my soul. I thought if my mom was still alive she would be able to help me sort through this mess of feelings. But then again it was no use to wish for impossible things, so I just went about my business.  
After the food and the shower we just played some videogames. Well, I played. Peeta passed out in my bed, snoring up a storm. I was almost finishing NFS Most Wanted again when my cellphone started ringing. I paused the videogame and went out the door to talk to a very pissed off Gale.  
“Where are you?” was how he greeted me.  
“Not your business bitch.” I said acidly. Wasn’t it the same answer he had given me just a few hours back?  
“C’mon Katniss don’t fuck with me. Are you in that douchebag’s house still?”  
“I never went there Gale. Not that it is any of your fucking business.” I sighed.  
“Well then, where are you?” he said calmer.  
“The answer hasn’t changed Gale. What do you want?”  
“To know where the fuck you are Hell!”  
“Well we can’t always get what we want now can we?”  
“I’m coming over!”  
“Over where?”  
“Your house. I assume you must be there!”  
“Do you now?”  
“Don’t play with me Katniss!”  
“I don’t want you here.”  
“So you are at home!” a pause “Why don’t you want me there?  
“Because Gale” I said huffing. I was tired of that conversation already.  
“Is he there Katniss?”  
“Yes, why? That is not the reason why I don’t want your presence in my house.”  
“Really? Enlighten me then!”  
“I don’t want you here because you were an asshole with me, and still are. You didn’t even apologize! And I’m mad at you, so if you show up now I’d have to shove my arm so far up your ass I’d poke your fucking brain.” He snorted sarcastically and then I heard another snort coming from my room.   
“Wow, vivid imagination as always. I just wondered what you two were doing this whole time!”  
“Fucking like rabbits, imbecile!” I said and hung up the phone. There was no mistaking the coughing fit I was hearing from my bedroom. When I came in he was still laying, for sure pretending he was asleep. “I know you’re awake, stupid. Were you eavesdropping onto my private conversation?”  
“No, I wasn’t!” he rose up from the bed very fast.  
“You were you little prick!” I said even angrier. The men of this city were trying to make me go crazy. “What is wrong with you people?”  
“My people?”  
“Yes, white people! Specifically white teenage boys! Are you all that callous? Didn’t your parents teach you any manners? Jesus!”  
“Look, I’m out! I clearly have caused some trouble between you and your hubby. I don’t want to get in the way of true love.” He said with a hint of sarcasm that didn’t go unnoticed by me.  
“Hold on a second. What do you mean?”  
“With what?”  
“Don’t you think by now I know you enough to recognize the bitchy sarcasm on your fucking tone of voice? Spit it out!” I growled at him.  
“What? It’s true love isn’t it? Don’t you love him?”  
“Why are you being sarcastic Peeta? What do you know about me and Gale! You don’t even know me well enough!”  
“Well that’s right!” he said, sounding indignant “I don’t know you at all! How could I? I come to your house more often then your own fucking boyfriend, but I don’t know you! We aren’t friends! But there is one thing I’m gonna tell you though and that is the only thing I’ll say because since we are not friends I don’t own you shit!” he reached his peek “You better take care of your relationship because there is some real dishonesty going on around there!” with that he gathered his things and went out my bedroom door. “Watch your back Kat!” were his last words before slamming my front door. Fuck.


	5. Never go Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trouble comes a-plenty

Gale was ignoring me. Every time we’d cross in the hallway Thursday he’d frown and turn his gaze elsewhere. I was positively fuming.  
“Trouble in paradise?” asked Finnick bumping shoulders with me.  
“You noticed?”  
“Hard not to since he is especially more brooding than normal. I mean it feels like there’s a cloud above his head.”  
“Well I didn’t do anything wrong.”  
“Of course you didn’t. You’re always right!” said Annie joining us on the other side of me.  
“I’m serious! I didn’t do anything wrong! He was the little asshole of this matter.” Then I told them what had happened earlier on the week.  
“Well, look Kat don’t get me wrong, but I understand Gale’s point of view. I mean, Peeta is a serious ladies’ man and all of a sudden he wants to hang out with you, of all people? Who had never even spoken to him before? He hadn’t even known your name a few weeks back and now he is hanging at your house, meeting your family, playing videogames with you alone in your room? C’mon, even I’m not that self-assured to believe there are no second intentions behind all of that.”  
“Finnick, you’re not self-assured.” I told him seriously. He tried, very hard, but he wasn't at the point yet. Especially when it came to Annie.  
“That is beside the point…” he started indignantly but Annie cut him short.  
“K, what Finn is trying and failing miserably to say is that your boy is jealous and overreacted, which is completely understandable given Peeta’s good looks and his history with girls. So we think you should cut him some slack.” Annie said nodding her head “After he apologizes, of course.”  
“Well I couldn’t have said it any better!” Finn said grinning like a fool to Annie. To which she responded with a blush. What the heck had happened without my knowing these last few days? I thought they were fighting?  
“Are you two…” I started  
“Focus on the task at hand!” She interrupted me brusquely.  
“Look, I’ll go talk to him. I’ll tell you something though, it won’t help at all. Dude is stubborn as a bull.”  
“Just try it sugar, it won’t hurt” Said Finn.  
“On you it won’t” I said walking away from them.  
By lunchtime I had worked up the courage to apologize to him. And I was going to until I saw him talking to Madge Undersee . Well I wasn’t even wanting to apologize and he gave me the perfect out. For all the shit I had heard from that girl, the least he could do on my behalf was not talk to her. It is a common universal rule. You don’t talk to your ex. Especially if the ex had been a bitch to the current girlfriend. I was big on loyalty and I was fiercely loyal to my friends, family and boyfriend. That, there, was disloyalty and that made me angry. While I was trying to apologize for being short tempered, being the bigger person and coming to him first, he was stabbing me on the goddam back. Fuck. I was so angry, so so angry. I had to look for an outlet to release all the anger and frustration. Messala had basketball practice after classes and more often than not the boys would let me join them. It was good work out, I was a great player and it was fun. The team was hilarious and they never underestimated me because I was a girl. All I had to do was talk to the coach.  
“Hi Mr. Odair! Can I talk to you for a sec?” I ask the greying man with glasses watching over the court.  
“Is it about running?”  
“No sir.”  
“About swimming?”  
“No, sir.”  
“Then yes you can join in on the boys’ training, kiddo.” As usual he already knew what I wanted. If it wasn’t about the other sports that I did, it was this.  
“My question for you Ms. Everdeen is why don’t you join the girls’ basketball team? You’d be a great asset for us, you know it.”  
“Don’t get me wrong sir, is not that I don’t believe in the girls potential. Is that one can only do so much!” I said, which was my standard response to these kinds of questions. Because of who my father was people tend to ask these questions quite often. The thing is I loved sports. Running, playing volley, basketball. I even loved swimming. But I couldn’t do everything and I couldn’t, not for the life of me, put basketball as a professional career, an obligation, a work. I loved it too much to do so. Even if sometimes I questioned my decisions.  
“It’s your call, kid. But if you ever change your mind you know where to find Mrs. Odair!”  
Yes, his wife was the coach for the basketball team. And yes, they were Finnick's parents. My family and Finn's were long time friends, with my mother being best friends with Mrs. Odair since kindergarten. Needless to say me and Finn had known each other since we were born.  
“Sure do!” I told that man that I respected and adored. He was a great coach and a great person, truly.  
“Go change. There are spare uniforms in my office.”  
Suited and ready to play I went in for the joy and fear of my colleagues. And it was just as good as I thought it would be. Dribbling the ball, dunking some points, sweating like a pig. I was in athlete’s heaven. And just as quickly as it started, it ended. I had done three long distance points and my team had won by 56. And the icing on the cake was that I had played against Mess, which guaranteed bragging rights for me for the week. Messala and I never played on the same team because the guys thought it was unfair to have two Bigfeet on the same side. Universal balance and all.  
Just another way to say how fucking good I was.  
“Damn hermanita, you kicked some serious ass on the court today!” said Chaff after practice. He was another best friend of mine. His family was half puerto rican, so he was half hispanic, half african american, and one hundred percent a sweetheart with me. Chaff was like a labrador, full of energy and always playing around. He was part of my athlete group of friends, the boys from the other side of the neighborhood. You know which side, the one more colorful. He, Blight, Castor and Pollux were mine's and Mess' friends so they often hung out around our house, playing videogames and things like that. We were pretty close even though we didn't spend a lot of time together anymore. Most of the boys were older than me and since it was college scouching season, they were practicing like animals, it was a nightmare. I knew they needed to fight for scolarships to go to college, so I knew how important playing well was for them.  
"I know right? I needed that outlet. I was so angry with that little shit. Now I'm just sad." I told him after we had hit the showers, on our way to the parking lot.  
"What did the white boy do?" Chaff asked and I tried to explain it to him as briefly as possible. When I ended he whistled. "Damn! If Atala caught me even remotely thinking about my ex I wouldn't be alive and talking to you right now. That boy is crazy."  
"Speaking of which, how is she?" I loved Atala. She was ridiculously beautiful. Her hair was black, curly and full, cut short and her skin was this beautiful mocha color, rich and mated. And to top that all off she had a seriously amazing Brazillian accent, even though she was a second generation American. I had a huge crush on her and Chaff knew it. Also, she knew it too. Cue embarrassment.  
"Good, grumpy as always. Asking when are you coming over again, since 'you don't have the decency to drop by her house'. Her words, not mine."  
"She lives right next door to you, what is she complaining about? Besides, I don't want to get mobbed by her brothers!" I exclaimed. Atala had triplets for younger brothers and they were 9 years old. I adored them but I had to store energy for like a week to come and visit them just to keep up with their rythm. Those kids had truly endless energy to burn.  
"True that!" He chuckled."You free this weekend? Swing by, we'll play some Call of Duty."  
"You know Atty will want to play Fortnite only right?"  
"A guy can hope, you know? So you game or what?"  
"Don't know man."  
"What, you chickening out already?"  
"Shut up! You know I whip your ass on Fortnite!"  
"You wish, kid! I'm the master"  
"Ha, YOU wish!"  
"Shut up!"  
"No, you shut up!" And then we were shoving eachother, and Chaff was holding me on a headlock. I moved my chin to the side and took a deep breath, then weaved my fingers together on the back of my head, forcing my chin down on his forearm. He loosen up a bit on the hold and I took the opportunity to grab a hold of his right arm, pulling him forward, planting my feet. With the help of my hips I propelled Chaff over my shoulder, successfully throwing him on the ground. He fell with a huff and a chuckle.  
"Aaargh! I hate when you ninja your way out of a headlock!"  
"What? You feel whooped? Did I whoop your ass?" I taunted him.  
"Shut up!" he laughed getting himself up. I was starting to laugh with him but was interrupted by Gale's sight, stopped on the exit that led to the parking lot.  
"Oh, great." I murmured under my breath but Chaff heard. He looked confused first but then he noticed Gale's presence too.  
"Want me to get rid of him for you?" He said, loud enough for Gale to hear. I shook my head briefly.  
"Na man, I'm cool. I can deal with this."  
"Fine, whatever. Just be careful 'kay?" He said patting my shoulder.  
"Sure, I always am. See you Saturday?"  
"Yeah." And he turned, passing by Gale on his way to his car. I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders and walked closer to him. I sinking feeling on the pit of my stomach. What a long day.  
"So, it seems like if I turn my head just for a second, you find another tool to get chummy with. You're getting good at this Hell!" he sneered when I was close.  
"What are you talking about Gale? What am I getting good at?" I said huffing. Was he seriously trying to pick a fight with me right now?  
"At being a slut!" he practicaly growled at me. I stopped, stunned. My mouth hanging open, my eyes bulging. I couldn't believe in what he had said. I think neither could he because he seemed just as shocked as I was.  
"Oh my god."he said once "Oh my god." he said twice. "Jesus fucking christ, I'm so sorry! I'm sorry K!"  
"Are you sure, dear? 'Cause you didn't seem so contrite a few seconds ago." I said, emotionless.  
"I'm sorry Hell! I didn't mean to be a dick! I was so worked up! You made me so jealous..."  
"So it's my fault then?" I stepped forward, anger starting to boil over. "All me, right? I'm the reason you offended me?"  
"No, I didn't mean it like that! I just..."  
"You just what Gale? You just what? You better explain it real quick 'cause you're walking on thin ice right now!"  
"Did you have to go out with that punk ass?" He yelled at me. "Was it neessary?"  
"So this is about Peeta, then!"  
"No, it's about you! It's about your behavior!" "My behavior?" "Yes, your behavior towards men! It's unacceptable! I mean, you have a boyfriend and still you let other guys grope you!" "There ain't nobody groping me! Where the fuck did you come up with that?" "I saw it! Right now! That street thug that you call a friend, what's his name? You let him grope you!" "We were wrestling! He was holding me in a headlock. If you think that is groping you got some serious issues man!" "Girls don't wrestle! I've never seen a girl wrestle before!" “Just because you haven’t seen it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen! Besides where the hell is this sexist crap coming from? You know me! You knew me even before we started dating! You know I would never conform to what society tells me is acceptable for a girl! That’s bullshit, fuck that! And fuck you for thinking shit like that!”  
“What?” he said frowning at me.  
“You heard me! Fuck you!”  
“You know what, you’re right!” he said looking down on me, barely contained rage. “Fuck me for not wanting to date a tomboy! Yes, fuck me for wanting to be with an actual girl, who acts like one and doesn’t think she has a dick just like other guys! Yes, fuck me for that!” his eyes were downright hateful.  
“You can be certain that is one hell of a fuck you after that little speech you just gave, you pampered little white boy. You best be on your way now, ‘cause this ain’t no place for you. You know, the court is for street thugs and tomboys only. Beat it.”  
“You know what Hell? I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to you! Don’t you forget that!” he yelled at me. Then he turned and marched out of the gym. I was trying to hold it in. I wanted to say something witty back but his words were hitting me fast and hard. I was crumbling from inside out, but didn’t want any witnesses. When I heard the door slam I fell to my knees and let the sobs run free. I was building up fast, the pain mingling with a wave of white hot anger, blinding me. I smashed my fists on the ground, trying to let out some of my emotions so I could get a hold of myself and when I felt the pain I could feel some of the control slipping back in. Walking out on the direction of my car I noticed a silhouette hanging around it. Coming closer I recognized Mess and his corn rolls.  
“What is it Mess?” I said quietly. He turned around and looked me up and down, assessing me.  
“Get in the car, kid.”  
“I’m not a kid Messala.”  
“Just get in the car Kat. I’ll drive us home.”  
“What about your car?”  
“I’ll pick it up tomorrow when you drive me to school.” He said going for the driver’s side.  
“I can drive you know.”  
“No, you can’t. You burst your fucking knuckles, now you better pray that we can arrive home fast ‘cause if you don’t put ice on it soon it’s going to hurt like a bitch. I bet you can’t even close your hands right now.” It was true, but I said nothing. Getting inside the car he buckled himself and me, since I was having a hard time doing it myself.  
“Such a baby.” He muttered.  
“I’m one year younger than you!”  
“Young enough for me to take care of you still!” Messala retorted.  
“I just want this day to be over Mess.”  
“I know Kat. I know. We’ll be home soon. Just chill for now.”  
“Fine.”  
“Just answer me one thing. Did you hit him or the wall?”  
“The floor.”  
“Thank god kid. I thought we were about to be slapped with a lawsuit for aggravated assault. You know how these people are with dad’s money.”  
“Jesus Mess” I chuckled. Mess was seriously the only person who could make me laugh at the situation I was in.  
“It’s going to be okay kid. I’m sure of it.”  
“I’m not so sure of it. What happened, it cannot be fixed Mess.”  
“Didn’t say it needed fixing. I said it would be okay.”  
With that I remained quiet, thinking about all the implications of what Mess was saying.


	6. Haunted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How the ones we let in are the ones that can hurt us the most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!! Trying to post at least twice a week!!!   
> I know this part is a bit sad but I promise fluff times are coming!!!

When we arrived home Mess helped me with the bruising of my knuckles, cleaning the wounds and giving me some ice to put on it. After that he left me to my devices and that was when things started to go crazy inside my head. My hands where hurting but I was feeling numb, detached, like I was an outsider, the odd one out. Was I that far off? Was I supposed to be girlier? Dress up more? Care more about what others thought or said about me? I liked myself just fine, I’d never had any self-esteem problems, not until now. I never felt that I was in the wrong or the things that I did were wrong. However, the swirling question around my head, giving me headaches, was just one: Was I wrong? To be who I was, to act how I acted? I knew I wasn’t wrong about my fight with Gale. Yes, I loved sports and yes, I wrestled my friends for fun. And of course I had quite a significant number of male friends, but that did not mean I had no girlfriends either. I had, it just turned out that the people who had similar interests to mine were most of the time boys. Besides, most of these people around here were snobs, driving around in their fancy cars, caring about their fancy lives and everything brands. When I found a girl whom didn’t mind all that, I held onto her for dear life. Annie was one of my oldest friends for a reason.  
Aside from Annie I had other girls in my life and they were all part of the odds. It seemed natural for me to bond with the strays since I was one myself. Only most of the strays who dared to be different had already left high school. That meant that I was envisioned by my peers as the only different one, or part of the very few different ones, a bookworm, a tomboy, a stray. So many titles to try and figure me out, people went too far from the honest truth: that I was just me, really. I had no titles because I was so many things at once, why would I ever want to fit in just one mold? Life was too short for me to privy myself from the things that I liked just to pretend to be someone I wasn’t. And Gale, with just a few choices of words, made me question my own existence. I hated that I had given him that power, that power to make me care about what he said or thought.  
I needed comfort, so I went to raid the pantry, getting inside my dad’s hidden stash of snacks and chocolates, opening the fridge to seize the mint chocolate ice cream tube and headed upstairs to my room, to drown myself in sugar and chips and kill some zombies on my Resident Evil. Today was self-pitying time, but tomorrow…  
Tomorrow was a new beginning. 

The alarm was blaring and my stomach churning. No surprise in that, after all the shit I had eaten the night before. It was Friday and I wished I didn’t need to go to school. I didn’t want to see Gale’s face. I would most likely get suspended for starting a fight with my ex-boyfriend. Ex. Boyfriend. I had to remind myself of that.  
After a quick check on the mirror I realized how much of a mess I looked like so I decided there was no way I was leaving this house without looking every bit as hot as I knew I could be. We must never let them see us bleed. So, after I showered I dressed up with my favorite dark ripped jeans and a forest green long blowy top, a leather jacket to top it off, combat boots and those badass aviator sunglasses. My hair was tied in a Tomb Raider braid that stopped in the middle of my back. I looked damn good. Passing up on breakfast and just getting a Korean yogurt to go, I greeted my family and went out, climbed inside my GTO, took a deep breath and started the ignition. It had to be done, this was just the first day, it would get better. I just had to get this day over with. Everything would be fine.  
Upon arrival, Annie bumped Finnick and stage whispered “Finn, is Lara Croft! Let’s ask for an autograph!!” while I was storing my books on my locker and it made me chuckle. Seriously, that girl.  
“Yes, I’m Lara Croft. Just missing some boobage up in here!” I said gesturing to my chest and Annie laughed while Finn just grimaced.  
“So crass!”  
“Idiot!” I said, still laughing, even though I felt a slight prick, remembering Gale’s words. I knew Finn was just messing with me, it was just hard to disentangle things in my head.  
“You look hot, though! Never noticed you actually had those!” He continued.  
“Those what?”  
“Boobs. Did they grew since yesterday?” He remarked and I just wanted to clock him on the head. At that point Annie was almost sitting on the floor, she was laughing so hard.  
“I swear to good man If I hadn’t known you ever since you were a ball of fucking fat waddling around my house, I would have already killed you.” I chuckled. I needed them today and it was like they knew it.  
“It’s cool kid, I know. Besides, we are growing! It’s part of being a teenager!”  
“Sure Finn, sure. So before we go to our classes I have to tell you two something.” Had to get it out before it became tougher. “Gale and I had a fight yesterday, he was an asshole and we broke up.” Annie grimaced and nodded, mute, while Finnick just shrugged his shoulders.  
“Won’t be missed, that asswipe.” He said.  
“Fine, so with that put I’m out to watch myself some biology eye candy.” I said turning around.  
“Okay, give my regards to Mr. Cupcake!” Annie shouted and I waved her off.  
“What was that?” I heard Finn say.  
“What was what?”  
“Mr. Cupcake? Seriously?”  
“What? He’s cute!” Annie said and I could actually hear Finn faceslapping. Gross. My best friends were an actual couple. Gross.  
I was the first to arrive at Mr. Colt’s classroom. From fear of sitting closer to Peeta, to whom I wasn’t even looking at, given how rude he was acting, ignoring me and how mad I was for the shit he had said in my house, I sat on the first row, by the corner of the room but still close enough to see Mr. Cupcake’s freckles. When the class was almost full Mr. Colt arrived, scanning the room and nodding his head to everyone but when he spotted me and my new place his eyebrows shot up, a questioning look on his eyes. I just shrugged nonchalantly and opened my notebook, trying to distract myself.  
So when fifteen minutes after Mr. Cupcake had started talking and Peeta Mellark entered the room, blond hair disheveled, wearing a white wash jeans and white woolen sweater, basically looking so wholesome and angelic, my throat clogged, making me swallow drily.  
“Good of you to join us Mr. Mellark!” Mr. Cupcake exclaimed and Peeta ducked his head ashamed.  
“I’m sorry sir, it won’t happen again.” He said and the teacher nodded good naturedly. Peeta screened the room and reached the same conclusion I had reached just a few seconds before, the only empty seat was the one right next to me. So he headed over next to me, rested his backpack on the table and whispered to me “Hey Kat, do you mind?”  
“Don’t call me that.” I shrugged, not as angry as I normally would be, storing my bag who was on his side of the counter below it to make room for him.  
“So we’re back on ground zero?” he asked huffing.  
“Just keep on your journey of ignoring my existence, m’kay?” I said looking down on my notebook.  
“What?” he sounded confused, which made me look up.  
“Weren’t you happy ignoring me? Keep it up!”  
“What, no! I wasn’t ignoring you! You were the one ignoring me!”  
“Well you were the one who said that maybe it would be best if we stopped hanging out.” I hissed back at him.  
“Yeah, but that was before you broke up with that Tool, what’s his name?”  
“Nobody.”  
“Yeah, that’s the one.” He said grinning at me. I felt understanding emanating from him and I couldn’t help but grin back. “You okay?” He said softer.  
“No.” I blurted uncontrolled. Shocked with my own honesty towards him. Apparently Peeta was too, but he recovered quickly and whispered back an “ok”. He probably didn’t know what to say. Well neither did I. By the middle of the class I felt his hand cover mine over the top of the counter and when I looked up I saw him smiling at me, as if to reassure me. It was a clear message “You’re not alone.” I squeezed his hand and he squeezed mine back.  
“You know if you want to talk about it I’m all ears.” He said when we were walking out of the classroom.  
“Thanks man, I really appreciate it. But right now all I want is just to forget.”  
“Well, sure, you do that! Are you up for some PS marathon this weekend?”  
“Can’t. Going to Chaff’s house to play with him.”  
“What? Who’s that? Are you cheating on me? I thought I was your only PS partner! The shame, the lies!” he replied indignantly.  
“Chill out, he’s my other PS friend.” I chuckled to his theatrics.  
“Fine, he came first I guess I could concede this time. But just this time, you hear me? I’ll think about reevaluating our relationship. Don’t think this open thing works for me. I like exclusivity.” He mumbled and I laughed a deep hearty laugh.  
“You? Exclusivity? The school’s man whore?” And I laughed even harder. He shoved me against the lockers but chuckled with me. Right that very moment Gale decided to pass by. The mirth diminished gradually and Peeta looked at me confused until he saw who was passing by. Gale looked at me with a frown and a sharp stare, anger clear in his eyes. I could do nothing but stare back until he turned left, out of our sight. “Jesus, I gotta get a grip.” I murmured and Peeta put his arm over my shoulders, squeezing me.  
“It’ll be okay Kat. I’m sure. Just give it time.” I nodded, sighing. “Look, I’ll go to practice. I’ll see you for breakfast Sunday, yeah?” Yes, he had been mooching Sunday breakfasts from my family ever since dad made the mistake of inviting him to the first. Dad felt sorry he spent his weekends by himself and, being the big softie that he was, adopted the kid for Sunday’s breakfast.  
“Sure, P.” I said distracted. He grinned at his new nickname and kissed my temple, shocking the shit out of me. While watching him walking away all I could think about was “What the fuck just happened?”


	7. Wasted on you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Katniss is emotionally constipated and afraid of her own thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small fluff before work to keep you guys going!! Enjoy!!!

Sundays were lazy days on the Boggs-Everdeen house hold. We were allowed to wake up late, my dad spent the whole day pampering on us and we had a huge breakfast (more like a brunch) to get us going until the afternoon lunch (that got ready almost around dinner time). Bottom line daddy liked to treat us like pigs on Sundays so he could slaughter us with healthy food during the week. Well this time it wasn’t different.

I woke up around 10am, had come home late yesterday from the gaming marathon on Chaff’s. Atala had decided to bring the triplets over so I had been run out of my feet because of those little heathens. I could feel the aftermath, my body aching as if I had swum the whole day, nonstop. When I came down the stairs I was still wearing pajamas. Or what passed as pajamas for me. It was actually an old Thresh’s shirt. He is my older brother who was away on college. Thresh is like huge. He took all of the Bigfoot genes from the family so he is like a Hulk, tall and built like a tank. He surpassed my father in height, which is no easy feat. The Ole Miss is super happy to have him in their football defense line-up. So, Thresh’s shirt is like a long dress for me. Sort of. 

Anyways, when I entered the kitchen, hair unkempt, sleepy eyes and grumpy I was a bit shocked to find not just my father manning the oven, but Peeta too. That’s right folks, Peeta Mellark was helping my dad preparing Sunday’s breakfast. When he turned around and saw me, his eyes flitted briefly to my exposed legs and he turned his gaze back up, smiling shyly at me. 

“Morning Kat.” He sounded so domestic, it was crazy. 

“Mmhmm.” I nodded, passing by them and going straight for the fridge to get my morning sugar fixture. See, I don’t care much for coffee, I don’t really like it so much, but I am terribly grumpy in the morning, so I need a pick me up. That is where the sugar comes. Everything looks better after something sweet. 

“Don’t mind her, Peet. She is like a bee in the morning, only functioning after finding something sweet.” 

“Oh, okay.” After a gulp of my Korean yogurt I found that Peeta was actually worthy a response. 

“What are you doing so early in my house?” 

“It’s ten in the morning Kat.” 

“It’s Sunday, P.” 

“I invited him. None of you lazy worms ever help me with breakfast so I recruited the helping hand of your friend. And in exchange he told me some pretty interesting things about you!” Dad started, and I huffed indignantly. 

“You should keep your damn mouth shut, you little weasel!” I turned on Peeta, who just chuckled. 

“Don’t worry Peet, you didn’t do nothing wrong. You wanna talk about it, Pumpkin?” 

“No, pa. I really don’t. Please. I just want to move forward.” Mr. Boggs, my dad, looked me sternly, then decided to let it go. 

“Fine, your call. But you know you can talk to me whenever you want. I feel like we don’t talk so much anymore.” He sighed, starting on his guilt trip. 

“It’s because I’m a teenager dad that is what happens when you’re a teenager. Don’t worry, it’ll pass.” I mumbled and went to the bathroom to wrestle with my bed hair. On my way though, I could still hear them talking. 

“Thanks for watching over my pumpkin, Peet. I know she is hard on the outside, but she is a marshmallow on the inside, just like her daddy.” 

“I know sir. I’ll always look after her, even if she doesn’t want me around.” 

Confused and still sleepy, I locked myself in the bathroom. 

With the table ready and my father’s shout the herd of buffalos stomping that was Messala’s feet down the stairs as well as the light, quick steps of his twin, Rue could be heard. At our table, daddy and Peeta had prepared quite the spread. We had piles of fluffy bronze pancakes, sweet smelling cinnamon rolls, freshly baked cookies, crispy bacon and sausages, eggs and perfectly toasted white bread, as well as a smaller bread thing, that I had no idea what it was but was very excited to try. After making us thanking Peeta for helping out, we dug in ravenously. Peeta, who was sitting on my right offered me the bowl of the smaller breads, smiling. 

“Try it. I made this, myself. It’s an old family recipe.” And I eagerly got it, biting on the gooey, cheese thing. It was glorious, easily the best thing I had tasted so far. 

“Oh my god P! That’s so good! I didn’t know you knew how to cook!” I exclaimed getting a second helping. Peeta blushed, clearly happy with the appraisal. 

“Bake. I know how to bake. My dad used to be a baker. He owned I family chain of famous bakeries, so he knew many amazing recipes. I used to help him out in the kitchen, but when he died mom just didn’t let me go near the kitchen. My aunt, Mayselee, was the one who taught me the family recipes. She is the talent of my dad’s bakeries nowadays. My mom and stepfather just manage the business part.” 

“Wow, it really is great Peet!” My dad smiled at him, ruffling his hair. I grinned at the affectionate gesture. I liked that my dad was fond of Peeta. It warmed my heart. 

Wait, what? 

I choked on the piece of bread that I was chewing and Peeta rushed to give me a glass of orange juice, firmly tapping my back. 

“You okay Kat?” I nodded quickly, downing the orange juice. Dangerous thoughts Katniss, dangerous thoughts. 

Just focus on eating from now on. 

After breakfast and the dish washing, I was so full I felt like lazying around the whole day, so I caught myself turning to Peeta. 

“So, what are we watching now?” I wanted him to stay, I don’t know why. No idea. 

“Oh, I don’t know! What do you have?” he grinned like a little kid, excited. 

“Netflix dude, we have Netflix.” 

“Sure!” he chuckled and we sat on the living room to search for something good to watch. It was just us because dad was having his old man nap, Rue was in her room doing god knows what, and Mess had gone out for a ride with his friends. After settling on Matrix, one of my favorite movies, Peeta’s choice, we got comfortable on the couch, each of us on either side of it. By the time Neo was learning his new abilities, my head was on the arm of the couch, my legs grazing Peeta’s thigh. Looking at me briefly, he sat cross-legged and pulled my feet up his lap, playing with my toes, making me grin. 

By the time Neo had talked to the oracle, Peeta’s strong hands were kneading my feet. That boy had amazing skills with those hands. 

That sounded dirty. 

It became worst when he hit a particularly sore spot on the back of my right foot, making me groan loudly. Something that would be extremely lewd if it weren’t for what we were really doing. Or was it still lewd? I felt my face on fire, and thanked the gods that my skin was dark enough for him not to notice my embarrassment. I tried to pull my feet back, sparing myself further humiliation, but he wouldn’t let me. Feet firmly planted on his lap, I kept receiving that (amazingly) torturous massage. 

At some point I fell asleep, only waking up some time later, feeling something heavy pressuring my belly. When I looked down I could see a mop of highlighted blond hair. Peeta had fallen asleep in a very awkward position, his head resting on my belly, his arms around my thighs and feet dangling from the sofa. I felt like I had adopted a huge Labrador. 

“P? Peet?” I mumbled, caressing his hair. He moaned and nuzzled against my belly, stretching himself, his head bumping my breasts. His arms had gone up to my hips now. 

“Peeta? Wake up!” I tried to pull his ear but he just moaned again. 

“5 minutes.” His grasps on my hips was hot, leaving me overheated and confused. 

“I need to pee.” I lied to get him to move. My stomach was fluttering in a weird way, I had to do something to move him. 

“Jeez babe, why do you have such a small bladder.” He mumbled and I flinched. He always complained about the size of my bladder and how I needed to pee every five minutes when I was drinking water constantly, there was no surprise in that. The surprise was that he had called me babe. Babe? Really? 

“Peeta, move!” I said, disentangling myself from his arms and hightailing off to the bathroom. 

“Jesus Katniss!” I heard his complaint from down the hallway.


	8. Chapter 7 - part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because it's necessary.

The two weeks that followed were an assortment of situations that only progressed from leaving me embarrassed to full on freaking out. 

On Tuesday morning I walked out of my house to find Peeta waiting for me in his red neck truck. 

“Hop in Kitty Kat.” He was so cheerful that I wanted to bash his head against the wheel. Kindly. 

“I will if you stop talking to me and stop calling me that ridiculous nickname.” I grunted, not arguing. I could appreciate not having to make an effort to drive this particular morning. 

“You know that you can’t choose nicknames Kat. They are chosen for you!” he smirked. 

“Do you see me mewling around? Do I have a tail? Then I’m not a cat. So cool your boots.” 

“Not a tail, but I bet you can mewl just fine.” I heard him say. He was teasing me, with his flirting ways, but it was different this time. The joking tone of his voice was gone, substituted by a lower tone, more throaty. His gaze was heated when he looked at me briefly. And I saw how he clenched the wheel while biting his lip. This wasn’t playful banter. 

“I will pretend I did not hear you say that.” I murmured tying my seatbelt. 

“Why? Am I wrong?” He looked at me, his smirk was naughty and his eyes bore through mine, making me heat up almost instantly. We were in a battle of gazes, his more and more heated, so even though I hated to lose, I looked away first, coughing. 

“Just drive man.” I murmured, voice weak. 

That was the first time. The second time was Thursday. I was waiting for Annie to leave cheerleader practice because we had a chemistry project to do together. Yes, Annie was a cheerleader. The shyest cheerleader you’d ever get to know, but something happened when she danced that she kind of forgot everything else and went for it, full body and spirit. She wanted to be a professional dancer one day. 

When practice was over, both football guys and cheerleaders went to their respective locker rooms. I saw Delly, the one that was getting fondled by Mellark, go his way. He took off his helmet and grinned at her, talking briefly before looking up in my direction. When he saw me looking his grin grew to a full smirk and he looked back at Delly, his hand touching lightly a lock of her blond hair. Then he said something to her and walked backwards, looking my way one last time and turning to run to the lockers. Well, fine. Maybe they were boyfriend and girlfriend now. Good for them. I didn’t care. He was his own man. It’s cool. 

Why was my stomach constricted? 

Annie walked over to me and we went out to her house. 

Later that day, when I was already home my cell phone ringed and I picked up without seeing the id. 

“Hey Kat, are you free?” Peeta’s voice sounded winded. 

“What do you want?” I felt anger all of a sudden. 

“To talk to you, that’s why I called.” I could hear the smirk in his voice. 

“Busy. Call your girlfriend.” I couldn’t believe I’d just said that. 

“What girlfriend?” He chuckled. He. Chuckled. 

“Delly Cartwright.” 

“She is not my girlfriend.” 

“But you guys hook-up.” 

“Yeah, so?” 

“God, you’re such a sleaze.” 

“I’m not a sleaze Kat, I’m just a healthy, horny teenager that does not get attached and never lies to girls.” He caught me with that one. I stayed quiet for a few seconds. 

“Right. What do you want?” He chuckled more. 

“Are you angry with me?” 

“No.” I said angrily. 

“Perhaps you’re jealous?” I blew a raspberry, then scoffed. 

“That is ludicrous. Why would I be jealous of you Peeta?” 

“I don’t know, you tell me.” 

“I don’t have anything to tell. I’m not jealous.” 

“Okay. Will you ride with me to school tomorrow?” 

“No. I don’t want your hook-ups to get the wrong idea.” 

“What wrong idea, Kat?” his voice had changed, he wasn’t amused anymore. He sounded like he wanted something from me. I said nothing. “Come on Kitty Kat. What wrong idea?” 

“Don’t call me that. You know I hate it.” 

“Fine, I’ll stop if you answer my question.” I scoffed again. He repeated. “Kitty Kat? Katty Kat? Kitty Katty Kat?Ki-” 

“Okay fine! They might think that we are dating!” 

“And?” 

“And what?” 

“Is that a problem? For them to think we are dating?” 

“Of course, I don’t want to be your cock block!” 

“Trust me, you’re not.” He chuckled. “But I don’t mind. Do you?” I inhaled sharply. 

“Let’s end this conversation now.” I said and he laughed out loud. 

“’kay, chicken. I’ll see you tomorrow!” and he hung up. I wasn’t a chicken! 

We hadn’t spoken about that conversation the rest of the week, but he increasingly became more affectionate towards me. He would constantly put his arm around my shoulders, which at first I thought it was okay because my other friends did it too. Once or twice he would put his hand on my back. He would give me lingering touches, poking my cheeks, hooking his little finger on mine when he was happy. His favorite thing was playing with my curls as if they were springs, pulling them and watching them return to their original format. I didn’t really mind him doing that, even though I hated when anyone else tried to touch my hair. Never, ever try to touch a black woman’s hair, unless she allows you to. 

By Sunday he was having fun hugging me, drawing smirking glances from Rue and my dad. Mess would just look, shake his head and carry on with whatever he would be doing. I liked Peeta’s hugs. He was warm and comforting, even though his body was hard. Peeta gave great hugs, and he was a touchy-feely person so I just didn’t think anything of it. 

We ended up falling asleep in the couch again that afternoon, and this time my head was on his chest. 

By Wednesday he was holding my hand and my head gave a screeching halt. 

Was he flirting with me for real? 

I had to ask. I was nothing but direct. I didn’t want to be toyed with just because he felt lonely. 

“Peeta is there anything you want me to say?” I stopped him at lunch, on our way to the cafeteria. 

“I don’t know. Is there anything you want to hear?” he grinned at me. 

“You’re just acting weird. Like, you’re being very affectionate.” 

“Does it bother you?” he sounded worried. I shook my head. 

“N-no no, is not that is just… weird. Is not normal.” 

“What is normal between us Kat?” he said, intertwining our fingers. I looked at our hands together. 

“See! That’s what I’m talking about! This is not normal!” I said, pointing at our hands. “People might think that we are dating!” 

“Does it bother you that I’m this affectionate with you?” he said and I shook my head, denying. “Does it bother you if people think that we are together?” I halted. 

“I j-just don’t want to cock block you!” I mumbled and he chuckled. 

“What if I want to be cock blocked by you?” He said, coming closer to me, eyes boring into mine. 

“W-what?” 

“Yeah, you heard me. What if I want people to think that I’m with you. That YOU are with me?” he said, a hairbreadth away from me, lips so close I could feel his hot breath against my own lips. My tongue escaped me, I was speechless. His hand came up to graze the skin of my cheek. “You’re so beautiful Kat, I know you know what I’ve been doing all this days.” He murmured against my lips. I closed my eyes, breathing hard, then open them again. 

“I’m not the type of girl that does hook-ups Peeta. I'm not for that open relationship, free spirit shit that you have with the girls that you kiss.” I said looking him dead in the eye. He smirked. 

“Who said I would be willing to share you?” he said and, still looking at me, his lips touched mine slightly. My eyes fluttered closed, and when he kissed me for the second time I gasped. It was the sign he needed to dive in. The hand that was on my cheek lightly grasped my neck, smashing my mouth to his, lips molding to mine, hot tongue caressing my lips. The other hand holding mine let go to pull my hand to his shoulder, making me mirror the action with my other hand. Then he grabbed my waist and I moaned, allowing his tongue to invade my mouth, sucking my bottom lip lightly. It felt like he was in an ongoing battle with himself, fighting with being tender and harsh, and the mismatched movement were so hot, as if he was uncontrolled. As if I made him loose control. He was kissing me. Peeta Mellark was kissing me. And the worst (or best part, really) was that I was enjoying it. I was enjoying it a lot more than I ever enjoyed kissing Gale. 

Shit, Gale. We were kissing on the middle of the corridor, we had to stop. 

“Peeta.” I tried to call him, but it sounded like a moan. 

“God, Kat. Say it again.” He growled. 

“Peeta!” I tried a second time, with a bit more control. He stopped immediately. 

“Yes?” I heard the ma’am that he almost said and chuckled. 

“We are making out in the middle of the corridor. I’m not into PDA.” I whispered embarrassed. 

“Everybody is in the cafeteria.” He counterpointed. 

“But it’s still public.” 

“Fine, but this isn’t over.” I nodded breathlessly. “Promise Kat. Promise that this isn’t over.” He sounded desperate, eyes roaming all my features at once. 

“I promise, P.” I said, trying to assure him. 

We had A LOT to talk about.


	9. Sick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some lies come to light and some people show their true colors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *trigger  
> Mentions of cheating   
> Emotional chapter

After lunch that Wednesday I had no chance to speak with Peeta because he was busy with football practice. By Thursday though, thinks took a turn. I didn’t know when I woke up on Thursday, that I would start some traumatic path in my life. If I knew I would have just stayed in bed. But, I’m no seer, so I did what I had to do that morning. My swimming practices where restarting so I had to start conditioning myself. For that I woke up around 6 am, had a light breakfast and went for a run on the nearby track. I started lightly, 2.5 miles just to get the blood flowing then headed back home to shower and head to school. I was excited to go to school for the first time in weeks. I didn’t dread crossing paths with my ex anymore, I was too amped up to see Peeta. I would never say it out loud but kissing him felt like a whole new experience for me. With him being my friend and us having the connection that we had before, going to the next step felt so right it was scary. I felt nervous and giddy at the same time, energy running through my blood making me want to run another 2.5 miles all over again. I should have noticed though, upon arriving at school, that something wasn’t so okay. When I parked my car in the parking lot I noticed Gale’s old Subaru already parked there too. It was weird because Gale never arrived this early at school. I dismissed Gale’s thoughts from my head pretty soon though. My first class was with Peeta, I wanted to see him. He made me feel excited at the same time that he brought me peace of mind. It was such an odd combination and still so much like Peeta that I never really questioned the origin of my feelings. 

While I was crossing the hallway to stash my books on my locker though, I found a couple a mere feet away from me. The girl had long black hair and was resting against the lockers and looking all coyly up to the boy, who was tall and had dark hair too. I didn’t recognize them first, but I did smell a cologne that I knew, all so well. From where I was, the couple could not see me so I quickly hid behind a corner and pricked my ears to listen to what they were saying. I knew who one of them were. 

“So you broke up with her for real?” she said, a lilt of excitement in her voice. 

“I did babe, I told you I would. You know how I felt about you.” He whispered back to her. 

“Felt? Don’t you still feel the same way?” look who was fishing there. 

“I still feel. Never stopped feeling, really. That’s why I never stopped talking to you.” 

“I thought you would when I said I was dating that college boy.” 

“At first I did. But I knew it was just a matter of time for it to be over. College boys only date young chicks like you for one thing babe.” He said chuckling and I heard the playful slap that she gave him. 

“When I found that out I just dumped him.” She huffed “Then I went looking for you but you had started to date that girl. Argh, I honestly don’t know what you saw in her. She is brute and rude, and she is so… tall and that hair is so massive…” 

“Well, she is hot. And you had dumped me so I was looking for some sweet revenge. I knew you would be jealous of her.” He chuckled again. 

“I was, so good job! But does she really know now that you guys broke up? Because honestly, I lost count of how many times you told me that you had broken up with her and you were just lying to get in my pants!” she said huffing. 

“It’s official, we’re not a couple anymore. I think she is going out with Mellark anyway.” 

“What, Mellark? What would he want with her?” 

“Don’t know, she told me they were friends, but I think he is trying to get in her pants. Good luck for him ‘cause that one does not give up easy.” 

“Argh, you’re so gross!” she said irritated. 

“Like you care!” 

“Well I don’t, unless you talk about me like that to your friends!” 

I had lost interest in hearing anything anymore at that point. I just couldn’t believe what my ears had heard. So all the time that Gale had been with me he was secretly making Madge jealous and working to get her back? And not just that, he had actually cheated on me, more than once apparently! I couldn’t believe. I just couldn’t. 

I made my way back to the entrance, walked all the way to the parking lot, got inside my car and drove home. I had no strength left to endure a school day. I needed my bed. 

How could people be so cruel? How could Gale be so cruel? And Madge? I remember we had been friends once, good friends. We shared good moments and we laughed together. What had happened for her to hate me so much that she actively hurt me? Did she actually believe I had stolen her boyfriend? What was going on in that twisted little mind? 

And that sort of speech from Gale? He had never talked to me like that before. He was so… disgusting. Was the Gale that dated me real? Did he even existed, or was he just fabricated for a specific purpose? And how could I ever let myself fall for such a two-faced monster? I truly believed him and his feelings, and his words. Was it all a lie? Every moment, every tenderness, every touch. Was it all a lie? Had he really no regard for me or my feelings? I felt sick. Dirty. I had let him touch me! Intimately! Suddenly I was so glad that we had never gone all the way, but that wasn’t such a relief because he had touched me. He was the first boy who had made me feel things, things I had never felt before. My first boyfriend. My first relationship. All a lie. 

I felt betrayed and utterly sad. I hated dishonesty. I wasn’t the one who went after him. He was the motherfucker who had made the first move when I had treated him as my friend all along. I should have kept treating him as a friend. I wouldn’t have gone through all the trouble of falling for an asshole and being lied to, betrayed and treated as just a piece in the game of some stupid couple. 

I wanted to feel angry, to break shit down. I wanted to hit the wall, to go back to school and beat that motherfucker up. I wanted to yell how much of an asshole he was, but I just couldn’t. I felt utterly lost. Tired. Sad. Empty. 

I just wanted some sleep.


	10. Your star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To keep fighting in hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Long time no see!!!   
> So, it has been increasingly difficult to update this story. It is touching too close to home, but I'm trying to steer it to a lighter mood. Hope I succeed.   
> If you haven't given up, thank you. I keep writing this for you.   
> Anyways, lots of love and stay strong out there!!

I lost track of time.

Wednesday turned to Thursday and then Friday, but I had no idea. I was lost to time and real life. My dad didn’t argue when I asked him to skip school. I had told him what I had learned Wednesday and he simply nodded and acquiesced. He was incredibly understanding.

I ate at least once a day, when my dad sat down to force me to eat. I had taken a shower when Rue dragged me to the bathroom to wash me, because she couldn’t stand to see the state of my hair. But I only got out of my funk when Messala came in my room.

“Katniss that is enough of you pity party. It’s Sunday and we have family breakfast. You will come down or I will drag you down. These are your options.” He spoke, dead serious.

“You’re not my dad Messala. Go away.”

“You’re right, I’m not. That’s why I won’t feel any remorse in saying that you’re letting that white boy win if you get down like this for some small shit like that. You think white people won’t shit on you throughout life? Look where you live! Do you think that dad hasn’t been dealing with his fair share of motherfucking white people? Who think he is inferior just because he is black? Does that stop him? He is a businessman in a predominantly white world, former pro basketball player who knows how to use his money to make it work for him. Our dad is brilliant and people still think that he’s doing as well as he does because he used to play ball. And still dad makes money off of these stupid people. Because he is smart. While you’re here, mourning an asshole who traded you for a white stupid girl. So what? Be better. We know how amazing you are. Show them how amazing you are. Show them you don’t care about some scrawny little white boy. Be better. Now get the fuck up. We’re having family breakfast.”

With that I gulped and sat up in my bed. Mess didn’t wait for me because he knew I would get up after that speech. He also knew that what bothered me wasn’t just the fact that I was lied to. Was all the racial aspects of the situation, of the fact that I was sexualized for being a black woman, but used as a toy to play with just to gain the attention of a white woman. I huffed. Letting myself cry the last two tears I got up and headed for the bathroom. I would take a shower and enjoy my family. That was that.

So after I put myself together I climbed down the stairs, just to be met with the voices of my family… and Peeta, having breakfast all together as usual. As if nothing had happened.

It filled my heart with warmth.

“Well well well look who’s decided to grace us with her presence!” said my dad with enthusiasm. Rue screeched in her enthusiasm and Mess just chuckled at his family’s antics. But when Peeta’s eyes found mine it felt like he was drinking me in. Like a starved man looks at a meal. His gaze bore into mine, asking all the questions I knew he wanted to ask without saying a word. I sat down next to him, squeezed his hand and grinned, assuring him silently that we would talk later. Fortunately he understood and dropped the subject, getting absorbed by my family’s interactions once more.

So after breakfast, when the dishes were washed and my family had dispersed for their after-breakfast business, Peeta and I sat down on the living room couch, me cross-legged facing him, one of his legs resting on the couch close to mine, torso turned fully to me. So I told him everything I had learned, everything I had felt and, when I was empty of story, feeling deflated, he just hugged me, wordlessly. His smell was soft and his embrace was warm and felt like home. I felt safe in his arms, so I did the only thing I thought of doing. I crawled into his lap, surprising myself in showing this vulnerable side to anyone. My dad was the only person in the world I ever asked for comfort. Now Peeta was the second only person. He, surprised, took a second or two to wrap his arms around me. With that I rested my nose against his neck, arms banded tightly on his middle.

“Thank you Peet.” I said against the skin of his neck and he shivered lightly, nodding without a word. I chuckled a bit, thinking that I had turned one of the most talkative boys into a mute. What a feat! 

We stayed there for a while, just enjoying each others’ comfort. Peeta kept me warm and helped me to feel myself again.

And I couldn’t deny anymore (as much as I tried) that he was slowly finding himself a place in my heart. That terrified me the most.


End file.
